Issue 7: Scamdemic 2025: Fake Ads, Hijacked Accounts, Scary Threats; Here's What You Need to Know

Holy Scam-pocolypse Batman! From fake Facebook Tariff Relief Ads to ultra-convincing phishing messages, fraudsters are leveling up! Here’s what they’re up to this week—and how to stay a step ahead.

Apr 25, 2025

TGIF! I’m Jennifer Jolly — and I’m a living, breathing, thinking, and feeling human writing this newsletter.

Or am I? 🤔

How do you know? And more importantly — why should you care? That’s a huge story I’m bringing you next week — and it has everything to do with scams, AI, and a strange new world where proving you're actually human might become the ultimate survival skill.

But wait, before we dive in…

Have you read Mike’s article we teased in last weeks newsletter yet?

Trading My iPhone for a Dumbphone Was the Dopamine Detox I Didn’t Know I Needed: Can paired-down gadgets like the new Light Phone III, a smartphone that barely does anything, help me focus more on things that matter and less on my screens? Are the tradeoff's worth it?

It’s a must read! He went all old-school and traded in his iPhone 16 Pro Max for the Lightphone III (and his Apple Watch for a Timex). It’s one of those stories that I was incredibly honored to edit — seriously one of the most critical issues in our lives today. Read it. Comment. Let’s talk.

But first…

Standing in a TSA PreCheck line that stretched longer than the wait for Taylor Swift tickets this morning at Seattle International Airport, a woman next to me muttered,

“TSA precheck my ass.”

Honestly? She wasn’t wrong.

Is it just me, or is it officially time to double-up with both TSA Pre and Clear now — or plan to get to the airport a solid three hours early, just to make your flight?
Seriously — what are your best hacks to make work travel suck a little less these days? #askingforafriend

I’m on the road (and in the sky) again — but this trip isn't all work.

We’re heading to Brooklyn to celebrate my "work-wife" — Pete — who’s tying the knot this weekend! 🥂 (Yes, Pete’s a guy. No, that doesn’t stop me from calling him my work-wife. I already have a work-husband... who also happens to be my real-life husband. It’s complicated. 😂)

Pete’s the brother I never asked for but am forever grateful to have — and the proud owner of the "Go F*ck Yourself" mug I gave him last Christmas. A token of our undying sibling-like love. 🫶🏼

Congratulations, Pete and Palma!
I can't wait to celebrate your foreverything. ❤️

📸 Meanwhile, speaking of partners, my real-life husband is also my behind-the-scenes MVP. We met on the job (awww) back in the early 2000s. He’s a Director of Photography who’s shot for National Geographic, PBS, Discovery — and now he shoots about 95% of what you see of me (bit of a backward career move for him, but hey — perks include traveling the world and sleeping with the talent 😏🎬🚀). He’s basically my personal paparazzi — responsible for making me look thin, young, and occasionally well-rested. No pressure, honey. 🤣 That includes this shot of me he took at the airport this morning. (Me=Working. Always working.)

But alas — it’s a quick New York minute for both of us.

After Pete’s big day, we’re off to San Francisco, where a big story unfolds next week.
Let’s just say — you won't want to miss what’s coming.

Spoiler: It could change how you think about scams, identity, and what it really means to prove you're still human in a machine-made world. 🤖

I’m Human. Are You?

Misinformation is everywhere — and even the most tech-savvy among us are falling for it.

Case in point: I watched the video below and actually thought, “Wait, NO WAY.”
And then I realized… yep. That’s a big ol’ AI-generated “nope.” 😳

Some of it’s fun. Some of it’s funny. (This one’s actually kind of both.)
But let’s not kid ourselves — more often than not, there’s something darker, sneakier, and way more nefarious at play.

It starts with a deepfake. It ends with your bank account.

That silly AI-generated video? Harmless.
That ultra-convincing Facebook ad promising Apple gear at 70% off “thanks to new tariff rollbacks”? Less funny. And way more dangerous.

Shira Ovide’s story in today’s Washington Post shows how scammers outsmart Meta by running fake ads on Facebook and Instagram, baiting people with phony discounts tied to U.S. tariff changes.

The ads are well-made, the product photos look real, and they even create fake customer reviews to seal the deal.

And it doesn’t stop there.

We’re talking:

Phishing emails that bypass spam filters by mimicking trusted sources flawlessly
Fake browser pop-ups that say your device is infected (spoiler: it’s not—until you click)
Bogus “unsubscribe” links that actually confirm your email is real and now worth more on the black market
AI-generated customer support chats that sound like real agents but are social engineering bots, or worse, AI voice-cloning scams.

🛡️ Insider Tips to Outsmart Today’s Scams

(That most lists won’t tell you)

🕵️‍♂️ Tip #1: Reverse image search the ad.
If you see a deal that seems too good to be true (especially from a new or sketchy-looking site), screenshot the image and drop it into Google’s reverse image search or TinEye.
Why it works: Most fake stores reuse stolen product photos from Amazon, Alibaba, or Etsy. A reverse image search usually shows you where it really came from.

📦 Tip #2: Check the shipping page. Always.
Fake stores often have zero shipping details or copy/paste policies full of typos.
Red flag: No contact info, or an email that ends in “@gmail.com.”

🔗 Tip #3: Don’t trust the ‘unsubscribe’ link.
Scammers now use fake opt-out links to verify you're a real person—and then sell your email.
What to do instead: Mark it as spam. Don’t engage at all.

📱 Tip #4: Set up credit card alerts for small charges.
Scammers test your card with tiny purchases—like $1 or less—to see if it’s active.
Insider move: Set up instant text alerts for every transaction, even the $0.76 ones.

🧠 Tip #5: Use a throwaway email for online shopping.
Create a separate Gmail or Outlook account just for purchases and newsletters. That way, you’ll instantly know if something’s suspicious when it lands in your “real” inbox.

🧯 BONUS TIP: The Phone Number Test (Upgraded for 2025!)
If you’re ever unsure about an email, ad, or even a chatbot?
Call the real company directly.
BUT — don’t trust the phone number you find in the email, the ad, or even sometimes in Google search results. 🚨

More news stories (PCMag) found scammers buying Google ads that look exactly like official customer service sites — tricking people into calling fake IRS, Amazon, and airline hotlines where they get scammed live, on the phone.

Real-world move:
✔️ Go to the official company website by typing the URL yourself — not clicking search ads.
✔️ Or find their verified account on social media (look for the blue check).
✔️ If in doubt, use a trusted app (like your airline's official app or your bank’s app) where contact info is locked in.

Bottom line:

Don’t trust the number in an ad.
Don’t trust the number in an email.
Don’t even trust the first number you see on Google.

Triple-check it like your wallet depends on it—because honestly, it probably does.

📢 Let’s Talk:

This is an issue we need to talk about a whole lot more. There’s no shame in falling for these. What do you think big tech should be doing to outsmart the scammers? Have you or someone you love been duped?

I’ll be LIVE here on Substack next Thursday, May 1st.

I’ll post the time and a link. Let’s talk about this, and all the other stuff gadget-y and tech-ish that’s on your mind, including these I can’t stop sharing with everyone I know this week:

Wall Street Journal: Nicole Nguyen: Go Delete Yourself From the Internet. Seriously, Here’s How. Find your data, request removal…and repeat.
Wired: Lily Hay Newman + Matt Burgess: How to Protect Yourself From Phone Searches at the US Border; Customs and Border Protection has broad authority to search travelers’ devices when they cross into the United States. Here’s what you can do to protect your digital life while at the US border.
Wall Street Journal: Julie Jargon: Nine Ways to Protect Yourself From ‘Impostor’ Voice Scams; A secret word, a silent text message and some deep breathing can shield you.

One Spot Left: Mother’s Day Tech!!

I just got word (from Pete, of course) that there’s one spot left on our Mother’s Day satellite media tour taking place May 2nd. If you have the perfect gadget, tech tool, or service to make Mom’s lives better, easier, or just plain more fun, reach out right away! ***There is a fee that pays for the crew and other associated production and advertising costs.***

📧 Email peter@gourvitzcommunications with MOTHER’S DAY SMT in the subject line right away.

Coming Up:

I’m back at the Today Show on May 9th and June 10th. Be sure to check out last weeks newsletter for details on those segments.

Got a pitch for me? Or idea for something I need to cover, problem I need to solve, or just want to chat? Be sure to reach out!

TALK WITH ME LIVE!

I’m committing to more time with you. From now on, at least once a week, I’ll jump on Substack Live to tell you what I’m working on or thinking about and answer your questions. You know what that means? We need to connect!

Next live talk: Thursday, May 1st — I’ll send you a note, link, and time on April 30th.

Be sure to keep an eye out for when and where, and leave a comment here on Substack Chat: